Sunglasses or other eyeglasses that are attachable to a hat are known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,686 discloses an eyeglass assembly for visored headgear which includes an adjustable clip for attaching the eyeglasses to the visor. The distance between the clips is adjustable, enabling the user to vary the distance between the eyeglasses and the user's eyes. The attachment of the eyeglasses to the visor is relatively insecure. Also, the lens is fixed to posts on a hinge and is therefore not easily replaced.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,102, a base having a pair of C-shaped clips is attached by VELCRO™ tape to the underside of the bill of a cap. A pair of ordinary sunglasses has cylindrical members that snap into the C-shaped clips to rotatably support the sunglasses. In another embodiment, the C-shaped clip is placed on the sunglasses themselves. The lens cannot be readily replaced without disassembling the hinge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,005 discloses a pair of wire frames secured by VELCRO™ straps to the bill of a cap. A flat shield is pivotally mounted to the two wire frames to flip either in front of the wearer's face or up under the bill. The shield is slidably held by four small clips lacking any securing means. Being slidable, the position of the shield is relative to the hinge is highly variable. Also, while the shield is replaceable, its slidability leaves it prone to falling out of the clips. In the up position the shield apparently extends past the outer end of the bill.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,125 discloses a relatively long band having a pair of flat hooks that clip onto the bill of a cap. The center of the band has a bar which supports a C-shaped clip providing a hinge for a set of rotatable eyeglasses. The lens could not be readily replaced without disassembling this hinge. The eyeglasses curve to conform to the inner curved surface of a conventional cap visor. The eyeglasses have a projection that spaces the eyeglasses from the point of rotation. The glasses are mounted on the visor by means of a rigid clip having a hooked end portion into which the visor is received.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,560,669, a T-shaped structure is riveted to the underside of a cap bill. A sheet of sunglass material is riveted to a hinge plate that is hinged to the structure riveted onto the bill. Thus the sunglass material cannot be readily replaced without disassembling the hinge. The hinge has an over center spring to snap the sunglasses into position. The sunglass material has a wrap around feature.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,228,341, eye shield material is secured by indentations in a holder that is an integral part of a hinge. The holder is hinged to a pair of fingers that clip onto the tip of the bill of a cap. Interchangeable eye shields are not disclosed. Even if one attempted to defeat the indentations and replace the eye shield, there is no mechanism to properly position the shield relative to the hinge.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,514,111 discloses a wire band encircling the bill of a cap, with an eyeglass frame rotatably mounted to the wire beneath the bill. A pair of monocular eye pieces are suspended from a wire inserted through a hole in the eye piece frame. This form of suspension is unstable and will leave the eye pieces with a tendency to swing about the hole. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,812 for another single point attachment with a narrow clip.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,519,959 and 2,691,164 both show a pair of clips supporting a ball to provide a ball joint connection to eye shields. Arms riveted to the eye shields form part of the ball joint. Thus, the eye shields cannot be readily replaced without disassembling the ball joint.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,274 a lens is frictionally mounted in a U-shaped channel that has an integral hinge pin. This reference mentions removing the lens. Regardless, the U-shaped channel lacks any means for centering the lenses with respect to the hinges. Also see U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,916.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus for hands free holding of an article, such as a pair of eyeglasses, sunglasses, a pencil, or other device which can be easily attached to and be retained on a baseball style cap, having a bill, additionally usable as an advertising device.